Electric railway.



A N. 697,0l3. Patentedl Apr. a, |902. w. s. Ponen.

ELECTRIC nAlLwAY.

(Applicaemn med Bembo, 1900.1

(No Medel.)

z La? Unire Serrures n'rNr Ormea.

TILLIALNI B. POTTER, OF SOIIENECTADY, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GEN- ERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEV YORK.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 697,01 3, dated April 8, 1902. Application filed December 20,1900. I Serial No. 40.468. (No model.)

T all whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. POTTER, a citizen of the United States, residingat Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Railways, (Case No. 1,637,) of which the following is a speciication.

This matter relates to roadway structures xo for electric railways of the type provided with Sectional service -suppiy conductors, which are in the form of contact buttons or studs rather than the ordinary-rails employed in third-rail systems. Vhile sectional thirdx 5 rail systems are best adapted for extra urban or elevated railways on which cars are run in trains, the stud system is best adapted for city use, where the relatively short cars used will in their progress cover lthe successivelyzo energized studs, so that no live contacts will be exposed in front of or behind a car. The problem presented is to provide such a structure that the studs will always be held in good Contact with the leads, so that they will not fail to be energized successively as the car progresses, in spite of the rough usage to which they are subjected bythe impact and sliding engagement of the collectors carried by the cars and from heavy city trucking.

- 3o At the same time the structure must be such that the studs can be readily removed and replaced when they are worn down by the frictional engagement of the Vcar-collectors or when it is desired to inspect the connections,

and, furthermore, the conducting parts must be well insulated from the surrounding roadway.

I have conceived the idea of forming a conducting-stud of a separate metal piece which 4o is independent of the rest of the structure,

and I have discovered that the most advantageous manner of constructing a stud so that it may be securely held in position, but

at the same time can be readily removed, is

to make the stud of smaller diameter than the support which holds it and to pour molten soft metal in the space which separates the stud from the sides of the support, whereby the use of bolts or screws and like similar mechanical means which would become loosened in service and would also increase the difficulty` of removing the stud is obviated. Certain other features of the construction herein disclosed can be used yindependently of that just described. 55

`rial such as asphalt, although other suitable insulating material, such as wood, may be used in cases when the structure is. not exposed to destructive influences. This block of insulating material I has mounted in sub- 7o stantially its central upper part a conducting-support'S of suitable material, such as cast-iron. This metal support S is perforated, as shown at O', and a lead L, suitably connected to the supply system, extends up through perforations O in the casing O and the block Lits end being heldin electrical contact with the metal support S by the following means: The end of the lead L is suitably secured, as by soldering, to a terminal N, 8o which is provided with a screw-threaded upward extension E. The terminal N engages with a lower shoulderD of the perforation O in the support, S, and a nut B engages the screw-threaded extension E of theterminal N and an upper shoulder U of thev perforation O', so as to draw the terminalN inteintim ate contact with said support. The structure so far described is snnltin the roadway, so that the tops of the block I and the pro- 9o jecting walls S of the support S are substantially iiush with the level of the roadway.

The metal button A, which is mounted in the top of the metal supportS in good electrical contact therewith, is constructed as follows: It is cast substantially as a disk of smaller diameter than the distance between the walls S' of the support, and its upper or Wearing surface is preferably curved from the central portion to the periphery. At two roo ormore portions of the periphery it is provided with projections I of such length that their outer portions fit the inside diameter between the walls S' of the support S. The stud so constructed is inserted in the depression of the support S. formed by the ontwardly-projecting walls S', so that its periphery is substantially on a level with the edges ofthe walls. The projections P serve as a means for centering,r the stud in the depression, so thata uniform distance is maintained between the periphery of lthe stud and the inner circumference of the walls of the support, and the portion of the disk or stud extending above the support constitutes a con- `tacting surface with which the collectors carried by the cars engage. A suitable soft metalsuch as lead, as shown in X-is then poured into the annular space between the stud and the support and this metal fills the interstices of the metal parts, so that the stud is securely held in place, its lower surface being in good contact with the upper surface of the depressionin the support S. The nut B iscovered by the stud', so that the intimate contact between the terminal N and the support S is not disturbed by traffic; but when the stud is removed these connections are readily accessible without further disturbance of the structure. When the stud is sub- -jectedfto blows from the car-collector or from the wheels of heavy trucks. the projections P,

vent the metal filling from being compressed,

and hence prevent ythe stud from becoming,r loosened in its seat.- It may be necessary in some instances to provide, as shown in Fig. 2, mol'e than t-wo projections P, especially where the traffic is heavy. Vhen yonly two projections are used, they should be arranged in alinement with the direct-ion of motion of the cars and the collectors carried thereby.

construction have been subjected toa severe test for several months on a city vstreet and are in as good condition to-day, without repairs, as they were at the time of their location, the metal fillings yet retaining the studs tightly in place.

A most important feature of the above-described stud lies in the fact that although it cannot be loosened in its seat bycar collectors or trucks'it can be readily removed by a moderately-powerful upward pull. For this purpose the holes H are formed in the stud for the reception of crowbars or power-tongs. Thus the Studis readily removed from its seat when it is desirable to do so for any reason, such as to replace it with a new stud or to eX- amine the conductor connectionfwhich is unrcovered by the removal of the stud.

kThe holes H are formed in the projections P, whereby greater leverage is obtained, the outer sides of the projections P serving to prevent t-he holes II from Ybeing filled with the metal when the latter ispoured in the free annular space between the stud and the support S. Vhen the worn stud is removed, the metal filling can be readily removed, as there Sev' keral studs embodying the above-described is no union with the parts, and it disintegrates upon the removal of the stud.

In installing the structure the lead is inserted through the hole O in the casing C, which latter is then secured in place. The lead is then inserted in the perforation O/ in the block I and the n-ut B screwed upon the threaded portion of the terminal N. The block I is then placed in position in the casing C, after which the stud A `is secured in the condueting-supportS in the manner above described.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a structure for surface-contact railways, the combination with a conducting-support having an upper depression, of an independent metal disk or stud, which is removably mounted in the depression to make contact with the support.

2. The combination with acondncting-support having upper projecting walls, of a metal stud ot' smaller diameter than the distance between the walls, which rests between the latter to make contact with the support, and a metal filling between the sides of the stud and the walls of the support, to hold the latter in position.

3. The combination with a conducting-su pport having upwardly-projecting walls, of a metal stud of smaller diameter than the distance between the walls, which rests between the walls to make contact with the support, a metal filling Abetween the sides. of the stud and the walls of the support, and projections from the stud which engage the walls of the support to protect the metal filling.

4'. 'Phe combination with ac'onducting-support having an upper depression, of a metal stud with a smaller diameter than the depression and mounted therein, and a metal filling between the sides ofthe stud and the walls of the depression,said stud being formed with holes whereby it can be removed from the depression.

5. A stud for surface-contact electric railways, which consists of an independent metal disk Aprovided with lifting-holes.

G. The combination with a conducting-support formed with a depression in its upper surface, of armetal surface-contact disk removably mounted therein, the said disk being provided with lifting-holes- 7. The combination with aconducting-support formed with a depression in its upper surface, of a metal surface-contact disk removably mounted therein, the said disk being provided with lifting-holes, and a metal filling for securing said disk in position.

8. The combination with a conducting-supportformed with a shallow depression substantially rectangular in cross-section in its upper surface, of a metal surface-contact disk removably mounted therein, the said disk being provided with lifting-holes, and a metal filling for securing said disk in position.

9. The combination with a conducting-sup- IOO IIO

port formed with an upper depression, of a metal stud of smaller diameter than the depression and mounted therein, a metal filling between the stud and the support, said stud being formed with projections which engage the walls ot' the depression to center the stud therein and to prevent strains on the filling when the stud is subjected to blows, said stud being also formed with holes whereby it can be lifted from the positionin which it is held by the metal filling, said holes being formed in said projections whereby the metal filling will not ilow into them.

lO. A stud for surface-contact electric railways, which consists of an independent metal disk formed with lateral projections, lifting holes being formed in said projections.

1l. The combination with a metal support formed with an upper depression, of a metal stud mounted therein and which has a smaller diameter than that ofthe depression, and a metal filling between the stud and the walls of the depression, which ills the interstices of the metal parts and secures the stud in position.

l2. 'Ihecombination witha metal support, of a lead extending` downwardly therefrom, and a metal surface-stud removably secu red to the support by a metal filling.

13. The combination with a vertically-perforated metal support, of alead extending through the perforation Jfrom below and secured to the support from above, and a metal stud removably mounted on the support and covering the end of the lead.

14. In combination, a vertically-perforated metal support having upper and lower shoulders in the walls of the perforatioma metal connection-piece having an upwardly-extending screw-threaded portion, a lead secured to the lower part of the connectionpiece, a nut which engages the upper shoulder of the support and also the threaded portion of the connection piece, to draw the lower partof the connection-piece into good contact with the lower shoulder of the metal support, and a metal stud removably mounted on the upper part of the metal support to make good contact therewith.

15. In aroadwaystructure for surface-contact railways, the combination with aconducting-support, of an independent diskA or stud which is removably mounted Within a depression in said conducting-support, and an electrical connection extending downwardly -from said support.

16. In a roadway structure, the. combination with a conducting member, of insulat ing material surrounding said member, an electric connection extending to the conducting member through the insulating material, and a metal surface-stud mounted in a depression in said member and having a con tacting surface extending above'the same.

17. In a -roadway structure, the combination with a conductingsupport, of insulating material surrounding said support, an independent metal disk or stud which is removably mountcd within a depression iu said conducting-support, and an electrical connection from the supply system through the insulating material to the support.

18. The combination with a `conductingsupport, of insulatingmaterial surrounding the same, an independent metal'disk or stud which is removably mounted within a depression in said conducting-support, a metal casing for the insulating material, and an electrical connection to the support, Which extends through the insulating material and metal casing, and is insulated from the latter.

19. The combination with a metal support formed with an upper depression, of a metal disk of less diameter than that ofthe depression and mounted therein, metal filling between the walls of the depression and the stud,and projections from the stud which substantially lit the depression and extend in the direction of motion of the cars,.to prevent the car-collectors from loosening the stud. j

20. The combination with a metal support formed with an upper depression, of a metal stud of less diameterthan that of the depression and kmounted therein, metal illing between the walls of the depression and the stud, projections from the stud whichsubstantially t the depression and extend in the directionot' motion of the car, and holes in the projections, by which the stud can be removed from the depression of the support.

2l. A stud for surface-conta@telectric railways, which consists-of an independent disk formed with lateral projections.

22. Ina roadway structure for surface-cow tact electric railways, the combination with a suitably -insulated conducting support, means for connecting said support in circuit, and a removable surface-contact stud, the removal of which permits access to said connecting means.

23. In a roadway structure, the combination with a conducting member, of insulating material surrounding said member, an electrical connection extending tothe conducting member, and a metal surface-contact disk or stud mounted within a depression in said member and havinga central contacting surface extending above the same.

24..- In aroadway structure, the combination with a conducting member having an elecl trical connection secured thereto, of a metal surface contactdisk removably mounted' within a depression in said memberand hav-V ing its contacting surface'extendingabove the same.

25. Ina roadway structure, the combination with a conducting member having an electrical connection secured thereto, of a metal surface-contact disk removably mounted in a depression insaid member and havingits upper.` surface sloping upwardly from the IOO IIO

`edges of` the depression so as to form an upwardly-extending central contacting surf ace.

26. In a roadway structure, the combination with a conducting membe11 havingr a shallow depression in its uppersurfaoe, of a metal surface Contact disk removably mounted therein, the surface of the said disk sloping upwardly from the edges of the depression.

27. In a roadway structure, the combination with a conducting membel1 having a sha1- low depression ini ts upper surface, of a metal surface Contact disk removably mounted Io therein, and a metal iilling for seenringsaid disk to the Conducting member. A

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 17th day of December, 1900.V

WILLIAM B. POTTER. Titnessesz I. S. KEELER, NV. XV. MANSFIELD. 

